Caleo
"Claremont
kittylester
I live near Leicester and we are friends with people of all nationalities but there are large areas near the city where no integration is apparent and there are regular fights between different nationalities
And, I am sometimes shocked to see small children translating for their youngish parents.
Very common in Dordogneshire and parts of Spain.
In my experience, this never happened in Leicester but often in Loughborough (very poor Bengali families from Silhet)."
Interesting posts. Is there a sociological academic study concerning social integration?
Do you think the general rule with immigrants through the ages : is that when the immigrant community is seen to be efficient and prosperous the natives will emulate the immigrants and eventually integrate with the newcomers? And the reverse, that when the newcomers are seen to be poor and backward then the natives will resist them?
I can think of several historical examples, perhaps the most outstanding is the Roman invasion of Britain when Romanised Brits became normal Roman citizens.
Then again, missionary work in Africa (Christian and Muslim)served to introduce organised hospitals and schools so that the traditional ethnic bonds were somewhat reduced as the native peoples became more affluent.
Very interesting commet Caleo and I don't know if there are sociological studies about integration and education/'class', rich or poor.
I moved to Leicester the same year as the Ugandan Asians. It was truly interesting to watch. The move from rundown areas where they arrived and cleaned up, repaired restored, to the progessive move towards the affluent suburbs where most of them are now. Very large houses, big gates and colonial pillars. Judges, business men, doctors, surgeons and opticians, pharmacists, etc. Very well integrated, perfect English, as well as several other languages. A true success story. Same fr many from the Gujurat. Very successful children in schools often at the top of the class, and many privately educated in top schools.
In Loughborough, as said previously, mostly very poor illiterate families from Silhet, the poorest and most rural part of Bengal. Children struggled in school, no-one to help them at home, and often kept away as that had to look after younger sibblings whilst mum was working for a pittance in the hosiery industry. Lived in poor housing, crammed in as main room used for mum's work. Totally different to above groups.
I am so lucky to visit often and to be in regular touch with both ex colleagues and several of my students (two of them from my second school, in the 80s- it's lovely) who live there, in both towns. And same for DH, still in touch with colleagues and friends. Regualr visits both ways and big, interesting discussions always.